Loading apparatus for automatic firearms



Aug. 26, 19 2 H. w. ALDRIN LOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1949 INVENTOR HENRY W/LHELM AiDR/N fiORNEY 19 I H. w. ALDRlN 2,608,135

LOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed May 4, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VE N TOR HENRY W/LHELM A Rl/V ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1952 H. w. ALDRIN 2,608,135

LOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed May 4, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 26, 1952 H. w. ALDRIN 2,608,135

' LOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed May '4, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VE N TOR HENRY W/LHELM DR/N BY ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1952 H. w. ALDRIN 2,508,135

LOADING APPARATUS FoR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Filed May 4, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR HENRY'W/LHELM A DR/N BY 6 a AT TORNE Y Aug. 26, 1952 H. w. ALDRIN LOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 4, 1949 /(IIIIIIIIIIII //v VENTOR HENRY W/LHELM ALDRl/V By ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1952 LOADING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FIREARMS Henry Wilhelm Aldrin, Karlskoga, Sweden, as-

signor to Aktiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a joint-stock company of Sweden Application May 4, 1949, Serial No. 91,322 In Sweden November 13, 1946 Claims.

This invention relates to loading mechanism for automatic guns of the type which are supported on a mount or carriage provided with manually or power operated means for elevatin and traversing the gun to direct it at the target.

Guns of this character have heretofore been provided with magazines and loading mechanism movable with the gun and thus relatively to the mount so arranged that the cartridges are successively delivered from the magazine in substantial axial alignment with the bore of the gun for projection thereinto. Consequently the magazine and loading mechanism must necessarily move as a unit with the gun barrel whenever the latter is elevated or traversed from a given position.

The present invention, however, enables the magazine and loading mechanism to be fixed to the gun mount or carriage and the gun to be elevated or traversed within limits independently thereof without impairment of the normal functions and operation of the magazine and loading mechanism whatever, within said limits, be the position of the gun itself.

. It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide for an automatic gun embodying a gun barrel and breech mechanism loading or ramming mechanism with respect to which the gun may be moved both for elevation and traversing adjustments or either and which at any position within the limits of its angular adjustability with respect to said mechanism is adapted to receive therefrom successively the ammunition delivered thereto from a suitable magazine like- WiSe fixed relatively to the mount.

A further object is to provide a gun and loading or ramming mechanism therefor in which minor adjustments in the pointing of the gun, in both elevation and traverse, or either, may be effected without requiring any change of position of the loading mechanism or of the magazine associated therewith.

Other objects, purposes and advantages of the invention will hereafter more fully appear or be understood from the following description of one embodiment of it in a 12 cm. automatic gun of well known type wherein reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical axial section showing the parts just after a cartridge has been loaded into the gun barrel (and preparatory to firing;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 but showing the parts after firing and at the end of the gun recoil movement;

Fig. 5 is a corresponding view showing the parts during recovery from the recoil with a succeeding cartridge in position for delivery to the loading mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the loading mechanism on a further enlarged scale;

Fig. '7 is a transverse vertical staggered section on the line 1-4 in Fig. 2 likewise on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 8 is a further enlarged fragmentary detail of part of the loading mechanism.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, it will be appreciated they are designed to show only so much of the mechanism of a gun of the character of those to which the invention relates as is requisite for comprehension of the latter, since the elevating and traversing mechanism, the firing control apparatus and other elements normally employed in such guns may be of any suitable or conventional construction, as may also be the barrel B, barrel cradle C, breech block or Wedge W carrying a firing pin P, and magazine M, with which is associated a side magazine M, forming no part of the invention which is more directly concerned with the mechanism for successively transferring from the magazine M into the breech of barrel B at any attainable angular position of the latter with respect to the former, cartridges S, S, etc., as they are successively delivered by the magazine to the loading mechanism. Furthermore the entire gun including the barrel and its cradle, the loading mechanism and the magazine are ordinarily so mounted it may be directed as a unit substantially to position for firing and in accordance with the invention is equipped with means for effecting limited traverse or elevation or both of the barrel relatively to the loading mechanism and magazine.

More particularly the gun barrel B in rear of its breech is provided with a breech ring I forming with the gun breech the usual ways in which vertical reciprocation of the wedge W may be effected in any suitable manner.

To the rear face of breech ring I is secured a substantially tubular extension sleeve 2 projecting axially of the gun rearward from the ring and defining a generally cylindrical central passage 3 opened at the bottom by a notch 4 and provided adjacent this notch with a pivoted deflector 6 hereinafter more fully described. At its rear end sleeve '2 is secured through the medium of a universal joint 1 to an intermediate loading sleeve 8 the opposite end of which through the medium of a second universal joint 9 is in turn connected by arms- II to a generally tubular casing I2 forming part of the rammer mechanism, the latter including a cylinder l3 secured to the casing l2 and provided with a sprin l5, piston 16 and rammer rod ll adapted to actuate a feeder l8 reciprocal relatively to the casing but movable with the latter when it is reciprocated by the gun barrel on recoil and during part of its recuperation.

The parts thus far described are'perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and which show, re-' spectively, their positions at successive points in the operative cycle of the gun after a cartridge S has been loaded in the barrel, at the extremity of the recoil after the firing of a round and just prior to thereadying for loading of. a subsequent cartridge S, while Fig. 1 showsthe parts in position for loading cartridge S into the gun. The cycle of operations illustrated by these figures proceeds automatically after firing of a round, which occurs whenthe partsv are in the Fig. 3 position, and thence through the positions of Figs. 4-. and 5 until they are restoredto that of Fig. -1, where they may bethereafter held for. any desired period of time if the gun is'being operated through .manual control, or when'the manual control is heldnout of operation a new cyclemay .be .initiated .immediately and automaticallyanda new cartridge promptly loaded as soon as the gun has recuperated ,from its recoil. The mechanism by which successive operative cycles are initiated and/or. controlled forms no part of .the present invention, however, andis referred tomerely to bring out the nature of the action of guns embodying .the mechanism thereof.

Reference has been made todeflectorfi .which is hinged to the breech ring extension sleeve and is provided witha lower face .29 curved both longitudinally and transversely to conform .re' spectively to an appropriate path for .the discharge of a spent cartridge .casing andsubstantially to the circumference of the rim of .the latter.whereby whenan. empty .casing is ejected from the gun barrel against the defiector it .is caused to followa desired path out of theextension sleevethrough notch-4 and thence beyond the gun cradle. The-deflector also ,includesa tongue 2! which projects forwardly into .as'lot 22 in wedge W although it is actuated .primarily by opposed arms 23,.23 having lugs #24 acted upon by spring pressed .p1ungers25 reciprocal in the extension sleeve and adapted to .urge thev armsand hence the deflector counterclockwise in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 .and thus maintain tongue. 2| in bearing engagement with the breech'block in slot22 when the block is. raised (Fig.3) and to urge it wdownwardlyrwhenthe block is lowered (Fig. 1). surface 26 adapted to engage a corresponding cam 27 fixed to the barrel cradle Candeifective to raise the deflector v.on'its hinge when the gun is moved rearwardly. during recoil and-afterthe breech block has beenretractedso it no longer holds the tongue .in raised position.

The rammer mechanism to. .whichreference has been made as comprising, feeder l8 reciprocally carried by rod VI] includes also alpair of pivoted depending arms .30 carried by the feeder having adjacent their extremitiesbosses 3| pro- Eachjof-these arms also has a cam vided with slots 32 adapted for the reception of the rim R of a cartridge case and guide rollers 33 slidable in ways 34 in casing l2. These ways, cooperating with the rollers, hold arms 30 in cartridge rim embracing relation at one position of the feeder but swing them oppositely outward to release the cartridge preparatory to its projection into the gun barrel as the feeder is moving forward under the impulse of spring IS. A spring pressed trigger 35 carried by a lever 36 pivoted on the rammer housing above the feeder is positioned to engage the latter during recuperation and tohold it with slots 32 aligned with cartridge guides 37 in the magazine and thus positioned to receive a succeeding cartridge for loading into the gun when suitable mechanism (not shown) delivers the cartridge thereto from the magazine.

The loading sleeve 8 interposed as it is between the breech block extension sleeve 2 and rammer casing l2 and secured at its ends respectively through the medium of universal joints 1 ands to these parts, is adapted to accommodate limited relative motion of the latter in horizontal and vertical planes or in any combination thereof whereby within the limits permitted by the joints the barrel may be elevated or traversed with respect to the loadingmechanism and accordingly aimed at the target without requiring that the loading mechanism and attached magazine be moved as well.

Consequently when as is frequently the .case, the axis of the gun barrel is disposed asilluse trated at anangle to the rammer those parts of the latter which reciprocate with the barrel on recoil and recovery can readily move in the di-.

rection of the rammer rod axis while the gun barrel moves along its own axis and the intermediate loading sleeve by virtue of its universal connections with both these units partakes of a' As the construction of the loading apparatus.

will be apparent fromrthe :foregoing and the drawings. a brief reference to .the various steps in the cycle of operations will suifice and for this it may be assumed that when the gun has been prepared for action an initial cartridge hasbeen seated in the gun as by manually ramming it through the loader casing. l2, loading'sleeve" 3 and breech ring extension sleeve 2 :while these parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig.3 but with the wedge W and deflector 6 lowered to the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 1.

Of course after the cartridge has been rammed home, the wedge, carrying the deflector tongue upwardly, is raised in the normal way to prepare the gun for firing and after firing is lowered automatically at the beginning of thehrecoilmovement during which the .gun barrel, loading sleeve and ramming mechanism move rearwardly with respect to cradle 2C. Substantially at the initiation of-this movement the deflector, forced downwardly by its springs upon retirement of the breech block,.is again lifted through the actionof cams 21 so that as the parts reach substantially the positions illustrated in Fig.4

and when the empty cartridge casing is ejected from thegunbreech" it is constrained by the deflector to pass outwardly from the breech extension through notch 4 in the latter and a discharge opening in the rear end of the cradle.

The rammer mechanism during the ."recoil moves to a position bringing feeder l8 to the rear of its restraining trigger 35 as well as of the path of a succeeding cartridge to be delivered to it from the magazine, and as recoil isarrested by the appropriate mechanism (not shown) normally provided for this purpose recovery automatically ensues during which the parts move forwardly, i. e. to the left in Fig. 4, to bring feeder I8 into engagement with trigger 35 which arrests further forwardmovement of the feeder itself and its supporting rammer rod I! (Fig. 5) while the remaining partscomplete their normal recovery travel. As-they are thus restored to the positions illustrated in Fig. 1 the rammer spring is compressed through the detention of the loader by trigger and when a cartridge is subsequently delivered by the magazine to the feeder and rim R on its casing received in slots 32 of feeder arms 30, it is accordingly thereafter firmly held thereby until trigger 35 is released to permit the cartridge to be projected forwardly into barrel B.

In the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 8, for holding trigger lever 36 depressed, there is provided a spring-pressed manual detent 38 as well as an automatic one 39, also spring-pressed, the latter including an arm 40 adapted to be engaged by a dog 4| on rammer cylinder l3 to effect its actuation against the bias of its spring. When the manual detent 38 is held inoperative trigger lever 36 is automatically released by automatic detent 39 when rammer spring cylinder [3 reaches full recovery position, which allows the trigger lever to move about its pivot 42 through the pressure of the feeder against it; spring 15 acting on rammer piston I6 thereupon causes the shell to be projected forwardly through loading sleeve 8 and breech extension 2 into the gun barrel, ways 34 which control the position of the feeder arms swinging them oppositely outward on their pivots at the proper point during the forward motion of the feeder to release the cartridge. A buffer spring 43 positioned at the forward end of cylinder l2 bears against a plunger 44 adapted to be impinged by the forward end of rammer rod I! to cushion the shock upon the latter after the shell has been released and the rammer parts thereupon assume the positions illustrated in Fig. 3 until the subsequent firing of the round just loaded, whereupon they again pursue the same cycle.

In manual operation detent 38 holds trigger lever 36 inoperative when automatic detent 39 is raised and the loading operation just described therefore does not occur until the manual detent is thereafter actuated to release the trigger lever.

It will be understood that while the invention as herein disclosed is particularly directed to provision of means affording movement of both elevation and traverse of a gun barrel relatively to the magazine and loading mechanism, and for this purpose comprises universal joints respectively interconnecting the intermediate loading sleeve with the breech extension sleeve at one end and with the loader casing at the other, in guns designed for independent traverse only, or for independent elevation only, it is unnecessary to employ universal joints for these connections as simple hinge joints adapted to flex in the desired plane may be s'ubstitutedtherefor with satisfactory results. T I

Moreover, while'a'preferred specific embodiment of the invention' has been particularly deiscribedit will further be understood I'do not desire or intend thereby to limit or confine myself thereto in any way as changes and modifications in the form, structureand relationship of the several parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be made if. desired without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. :Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States: Y

i 1. ,In combinationwith a breech-loading gun comprising a barrel, a breech block and a breech extension movable as a unit for training the gun on a target, relatively fixed-loading mechanism for successively delivering cartridges substantially axially toward the gun breech at relatively hi h velocity, means between said extension and said mechanism providing an intermediate path for the cartridges having one end pivotally connected to said extension and the other end pivotally connected to said mechanism to direct the cartridges delivered thereto from said mechanism into said extension for entry into the gun breech at any operative angular position of the gun barrel with respect to the loading mechanism and to transfer the recoil of the gun to the loading mechanism upon discharge.

2. In a gun of the character described, loading mechanism including a spring actuated loader and a magazine for delivery of projectiles successively thereto, a barrel and breech mechanism therefor movable relatively to the loading mechanism for aiming the gun, and a substantially cylindrical sleeve interposed between the loading mechanism and the barrel having a pivotal connection at one end with the loading mechanism and at its other end with the breech mechanism whereby when the barrel is disposed with its axis at an angle to that of the loading mechanism the axis of the sleeve is at an angle to both said axes and when the barrel axis is aligned with the loading mechanism axis the sleeve axis is aligned with both said axes, said sleeve also serving to transfer the recoil to the loading mechanism upon discharge of the gun.

3. In an automatically loading gun comprising, a gun barrel movable in train having a breech at one end and a substantially tubular extension rigidly secured to and movable with the breech, a longitudinally movable loader casing, means carried by the casing for projecting a cartridge longitudinally from the casing toward the gun breech, a relatively fixed magazine operative to deliver cartridges successively to the casing, and means pivotally connected to the casing and to said extension operative upon actuation of the projecting means to deflect the cartridge from its initial path to a second path substantially coaxial with the barrel when the loading mechanism and barrel are disposed angularly out of aligned relation, said cartridge-deflecting means moving substantially axially with the gun barrel to reciprocate the casing during axial recoil and recuperation of the barrel after firing.

4. Loading apparatus for an automatic firearm comprising a gun barrel movable about relatively fixed vertical and horizontal axes, a cartridge magazine fixed with respect to said axes, means associated with the magazine for successively projecting cartridges axially from adjacent the magazine substantially in the direcegeasnaa -tion wof the gun fbarrel; .1 a sleeve interposed :be-

tween said projecting means and *theibarrelzhavingiflpivotal connectionywith reach providing a passage :for movement :of; theizcartridges successively from the projecting .means. :into tthe barrel; isai'd sleeveithroughjts pivotal eonnec'ting means operating to transfer to. the rprojecting means :the force of thegun 'recoiI-afterdischarge ,of :aca-rtridge in the "barrel to thereby -tauto- .matically reset the projecting-means for projection of the succeeding cartridge .into' thelbarrei. 5. Loading apparatusdaccording :to claim 4 including 1-yie1dab1e :.energy storing ;-'means. .for

actuating the cartridge projecting means and means for releasing said energy :storingzmeans after-resetting thereof byithe energyofthe recoil to thereby proj eat the. succeeding. -icartridge ifrom ithe magazine-to the gun;

= HENRY AIDRIN.

Number Number 8 UNITED 'STA'I'E S PATENTS 1 Name Date Cowley July 2'7, 1915 McClain May27, 1919 Lucht et a1. Apr. 5, 1938 McMullen July '31, 1945 Taylor Sept; 25, 1945 Loomis' Feb. 18,1947 Elliott Apr. 22, 19.47

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great- Britain Sept, 7, 1933 Sweden w. Dec. 23, 1941 Great Britain June; 6,11%6 Great Britain May 5, 1948 GreateBritain Sept.- 23, 1948 

